WRITE FOR OM YOGA – GUIDELINES

OM Yoga & Lifestyle magazine has become the UK’s favourite yoga monthly since its launch back in 2009. The nation’s best-selling yoga title, it covers everything from yoga, mindfulness and meditation through to organic clothing, sustainability and clean eating. Our readership now spans much of the world, from America to Australia, and most countries in between.

This global audience extends from yoga teachers who’ve been practicing for many years, to students just starting out on their journey, and those with an interest in any areas related to yoga, such as spirituality, psychology, or just how to live a better life generally. We present all topics in a simple, accessible, easy-to-read way, so that everyone can understand everything.

Right from the very start, we’ve been keen to showcase new writing talent and display the vast depth of knowledge that’s within the yoga community, both in the UK and worldwide, on all areas from nutrition to meditation. Here’s your chance to be a part of it. Create a contributors account today. 

 

JOIN THE OM COMMUNITY

We want to hear what you’ve got to say. Send us your articles, photos, sequences, videos, recipes…anything you’d like to share with us that will elevate and educate our wonderful yoga-inspired community. You’ll reach our massive audience, which will help you spread your own message. As well as being Britain’s favourite yoga publication, we’re also the people behind the annual OM Yoga Show, Europe’s biggest yoga gathering, which is held in London every October.

Help us spread the yoga word. We’re looking for original content only on all topics relevant to living a yoga and mindful life. Be creative. Inspire us. Inspire others. If that sounds good, please read through and agree to all of the terms and conditions below before sending in your work. We can’t pay for you to share your passion via the OM platform but you’ll be inspiring us and others, and grow your own name and brand as you do so.

 

IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU

Yes, that’s right…it’s all about you! OM has always been a community-driven publication and we want to share whatever it is that you are passionate about on our platform. Anything and everything even remotely linked to yoga, health, happiness, mindfulness, meditation, spirituality, positive psychology and the search for a more meaningful, balanced and peaceful life.

What we really want is your passion. Share with us the things that you are motivated by, and passionate about, and that will resonate with our lovely readership. And feel free to share your OM article as widely as you like among your own community and friends, via social media and your website if you have one. The more you share it, the more readers will see it!

 

SUBMIT YOUR ARTICLE

It’s easy to submit your article to us. Do it online via our online submission form (link at the bottom of this page). Before you do, however, here are a few practical things to consider:

Be the best version of yourself: Make sure you have checked and proof read your article so there are no spelling or grammar errors, and that it reads well and makes sense to others.

Keep it punchy and positive: It’s always best to keep it simple and aim for clarity, especially in your introduction, in order to grab and maintain reader interest. Readers have to know straight away what your article is about otherwise you’ll lose their interest.

Word count: Most of our written features range from 500 words to 1,000 words. Anything in this range is fine. If it’s longer, that’s fine too, but make sure what you’re saying remains engaging for the reader throughout. For new writers, it’s usually easier to aim for a lower word count initially, that way there’s less room for confusing readers or losing the story thread as you progress through your article.

Top 10s (or Top 5s): Everyone loves an article with a number in the title! This can be a great way for new writers to start. Think of things like: ’10 ways yoga can improve your day’ or ‘3 things you don’t know about meditation’ etc. It doesn’t have to be 10, or 5 or 3, it can be any number. If you’re nervous about writing for this first time, this is a great way to begin.

Video: If it’s a video you’re submitting then it will still need a short, written introduction explaining what’s in it. That should include a title (e.g. ‘Morning Vinyasa Yoga wake-up sequence’) as well as a few lines to explain what the purpose of the video sequence is. Videos should be a maximum of 10 minutes long.

Photo-based yoga sequences: We want your photo-based yoga sequences too, but please ensure these are logical and very easy to follow. Don’t confuse your readers! For all photos, please make sure you have permission to use them and there are no cost or copyright implications.

Photo stories: We love your photos! Yoga is a highly visual thing, so if you have any great, individual photos to share, but where the story behind it might be minimal, then we welcome those too. Again, for all photos, please ensure you have permission to use them and there are no cost or copyright implications. This is really important!

Designed Magazine. We may select your article to be included in the designed magazine, not just the online pages. The designed magazine will be produced in pdf, page turner and printed versions. Our editors make the decision on what to include each month. If your article is chosen then it may appear in our international licenced editions. By submitting your article you are agreeing for this use.

 

THINGS TO SUBMIT WITH YOUR ARTICLE

Biography: When you submit your article to us, we require a biography and author photo from you to go alongside it. (Square Image 600 x 600 pixels) This helps us to know who has written the article and, more importantly for you, it helps to spread your name and profile out further among our readership. Tell the world who you are! Your bio should be fun and written in the third person (e.g. ‘He/she is a Kundalini Yoga teacher’, rather than ‘I am a Kundalini Yoga teacher’). And do include links so we can help to promote you, such as your website, Instagram or Facebook pages. As a bare minimum, all articles must include the author’s first name and second name, and up to 20 words of bio about the author.

Photos: Feel free to submit an image/s to go alongside your article to illustrate it but please make sure it is relevant and clearly links logically to the written word. Only submit an image if you are certain that you have full rights to use it, without cost and copyright implications. Image size should be 1Mb or under, ideally. Inappropriate images will be deleted and may result in your article being removed or users being blocked in the future.

Images Sizes
The main Feature Image format is 1280 x 720 pixels. All other images can be the same size as the feature image or 600 x 400 pixels, landscape or portrait. Square format should be 600 x 600 pixels. Images should not contain text unless the text forms part of the picture ie a signpost.

 

EDITING

Please note: We reserve the right to edit any piece of work that is sent in to us. This is no reflection on the author whatsoever, but sometimes we may need to adjust an article or headline to make it more appealing or engaging to our broader community. The same goes for photos. If we feel we can illustrate an article in a way that is more suitable for our platform, then we may need to replace images.

 

PARTNER CONTENT / ADVERTISING

We have a separate section on the platform for paid-for and sponsored content. To find out more about opportunities in this area and to learn about advertising on our site please email us for more details

 

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

The best way to get a feel for what we’re looking for is to have a good read of OM in the first place, whether that’s online, via the digital app or in the print magazine itself. Articles must be non-promotional. Any promotional-based articles should be sent to the advertising department. Generally (like the print magazine), our content fits into one of several broad categories:

 

Body: All articles on yoga (practical or theoretical) or other physical pursuits e.g. Pilates, fitness, anatomy etc. This includes written articles, as well as photo-based and/or video sequences.

Mind: Articles on mindfulness, meditation, positive psychology, happiness, mental and emotional resilience, mental health, dealing with issues (e.g. anxiety, stress) with the aid of yoga and meditation etc.

Spirit: Accessible spirituality, both rooted in yoga and other related areas (Zen, Buddhism etc.) with the intent to educate and inspire a mainstream audience (not to mystify or confuse!). Introducing a mainstream audience to simple spiritual awakenings.

Living: Articles on healthy living and broader aspects of the yogic lifestyle, such as vegan/vegetarian food and nutrition, recipes, lifestyle hacks at home, clean living, enjoying the great outdoors etc.

Actions: How yoga and yoga people are making an impact on the wider world, from championing green issues, eco-friendly projects and ethical businesses, to charity work.

Family: Articles on how yoga and related areas (clean food, meditation, exploring nature) can benefit children and the family, from babies and tots, through to stressed-out parents and grandparents.

Travel: Articles on yoga travel, retreats, festivals, events and healthy holidays aimed at inspiring readers through words and images (rather than selling to them!).

 

LIBEL

Please be wary of writing anything that may contravene libel laws. It is your responsibility to avoid writing anything that may be deemed as libel. Libel is essentially defined as, “A published false statement that is damaging to a person’s reputation” but this is a complex area of law. You don’t need to become a lawyer, but you do need to be very careful if you are saying anything remotely negative about a person or an organisation. If in doubt, take it out.

 

STYLE GUIDE

Please make sure your writing follows these simple style guidelines:

Headlines: Include a simple and short headline with your story (maximum 10 words). This is the main hook for the reader so try and make it as catchy or appealing as you can. Bear in mind that we are also monitoring headlines so may edit if we feel we can add greater value to your article.

Standfirst: Please also include a short introduction essentially summarising what the article is about. This would typically be around 5-25 words.

Be positive: We are looking to elevate and educate our audience, to inspire more people to live happy, healthy lives, so do try to bring in a positive message where possible. Let’s uplift the world together!

Sanskrit: If using a Sanskrit term, please ensure you include the English version as well in brackets afterwards, only when using the term in the first instance (no need to repeat after that). Use a capital letter at the start of the Sanskrit word (e.g. Savasana). Similarly, if referring to complex terms or themes, make sure these are explained in plain English so that everyone can all fully understand them.

 

Practice / Practicing (not Practise / Practising)

Organisation (not organization)

% (not per cent)

Use ‘and’ (not & or +)

Numbers: use letters for one to nine, but numbers from 10 onwards, unless you are opening a sentence with a number. In headlines, it’s different: then it’s okay to use numbers 1-9

 

Use lower case for job titles. Use capital letters when talking about brands and businesses (Centre for Yoga).

Do not emphasise words or phrases by using capitals, bold or italics. The writing should be strong enough to stand out on its own without using bold, caps or italics.

Use OM when referring to OM Yoga & Lifestyle magazine (not Om or om). If referring to the sound or chant then it’’s okay to use ‘Om’.

 

Photo credits: Please include the name of the person who took the photo or the non-copyrighted site where the image was sourced e.g. Pixabay or Unsplash. You must either own the photo yourself or have sourced it from a similar photo-sharing site where there are no cost or copyright implications.

Web links: Do include links where necessary in your article if you are referring to a place, a product or a well-known teacher for example with a known website. Please do not include credits and links to your own website unless the content on the website further enhances the article. Do not treat the article as an advertisement ie for more information go to... Links to your site and social media are provided in the biography section.

 

WRITER GUIDELINES

We welcome your articles, photos and video submissions online. Here’s a quick guide on how to do it and what we’re looking for.

All content (articles, photos, video features) can be submitted via our online submission tool (link at the bottom of this page)

Word Count. Anything between 500-1,000 words is ideal for general features and stories. However, this can vary widely depending on what you’re submitting. For example, if you’re sending in a video or photo-based story, or a yoga sequence, then word count is typically much shorter (perhaps just a catchy headline and a brief introductory paragraph).

 

Images. We love your photos but please make sure they are relevant to the article and that you have full usage rights and permission for them (i.e. without cost and copyright implications to OM). Image size should be 1Mb or under. Images may be used across all OM’s platforms and channels. Images should be text free.

 

Unique Content. We are looking for original content only please. This is very important to us — and you — as it enables internet search engines to distinguish your work as unique. This will ultimately help in the promotion of your article as well as establishing greater credibility both for OM and its community of writers. If your work has been published before, it is essential that you tell us. We may still be able to publish it if several key changes are made first (e.g. updating the article with around 25% of new content to distinguish it from past work and inserting a new headline and introductory information).

 

Bio. For every article submitted we need your genuine first and last name, plus a simple headshot author image. We also require a short bio from you that’s written in the third person (e.g. ‘He/she is a UK-based yoga teacher’ rather than ‘I am a UK-based yoga teacher’).

 

Sharing. Please share your article far and wide on social media after publishing. The more you can share your OM work across your personal and professional networks (whether that’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or any other platform, including your own website), the more readers will get to see it. It’s the best way to start promoting and sharing your message to the big wide world.

 

Final note

Please be aware that all content is subject to editing from our in-house team. This is more for reasons of style, consistency, relevance, accuracy and appropriateness, rather than any reflection on the author’s writing or viewpoint.

Please be aware that if your work is selected by our editors for inclusion in the designed magazine (online page turner, downloadable pdf or print version), that it may appear in our international licenced editions. If you do not want your work included in these editions please select "online only" and your article will only appear in the articles section of the website. If this is not selected then you are granting permission for your article to be used across all platforms and in licenced editions.

Getting Started.

If you'd like to write for OM Yoga, first of all you will need to create a contributors account, please be aware you will need the following information to complete your profile: Short and long bio, head and shoulders photo 600 x 600. Social media addresses if you have them and a website address, again if you have one. Create your Contributor Account here then follow the instructions to complete your profile information and submit your first article.